“Simply The Best”
Simply The Best is a new Atlantic Flyer Column that gives our Readers a chance to share a “Simply The Best” story about your experience with an FBO, airport, or person who exemplifies outstanding service. Please send your stories to Richard@aflyer.com.
“Simply The Best” Aviation Mechanic.
At age 60+ and a load of time in a bunch of aircraft, I’ve enjoyed the gamut of cow pasture Cub flying to international corporate jets with my own management and charter company. You need to know this: I am anal about safety, especially aircraft maintenance. I feel like I am in control of my own destiny with regards to training, judgment, skill level, etc.; however, to be sure, the best pilots in the world will almost always be dependent upon a mechanic to have done his very best work to ensure our safety. In retirement now, with a forty-year-old C310 and a lot to live for, I was more than a little anxious about leaving the comfort and security of my own maintenance department and the terrific A&P’s and I.A.’s who so diligently cared for my aircraft. That having been said, I believe I’ve stumbled onto arguably the best aviation mechanic ever! Kevin Stephenson is the owner-operator of Oak Island Aviation at KSUT (Oak Island Brunswick County Airport). I now call Oak Island home and this wonderful little airport nestled up against the Atlantic Ocean in Southeastern North Carolina is just about halfway between most of New England and most of Florida.
Kevin Stephenson may be even more anal than I am! Along with his ‘right hand man’, Jim Bankey, (A&P, I.A.), he provides absolutely the most thorough, detailed, uncompromising inspections I’ve ever witnessed. He is a gifted ‘troubleshooter’, a craftsman with fabric or sheet metal; he can machine tool almost anything. He has built two airplanes from the ground up, and has a loyal and dedicated following of aviators on all levels. Young Mr. Stephenson (thirty-something?) is a student of aviation and a practitioner on the highest level. After earning a B.S. Degree in Engineering from N.C. State University, Kevin served several years with Cessna Citation in Wichita. He and his lovely bride Shannon longed for both the mountains and the beaches in North Carolina, however, and returned to Oak Island to set up shop. There are a lot of very happy aviators in this area as a result. Kevin has extensive experience in small and mid-size aircraft, reciprocating as well as turbine engines, singles and twins, pressurized, amphibious. etc., etc., and seems to absolutely relish a challenge like: “My airplane has a problem but no one can seem to figure it out!” Fabric-covered, radial-engine antique, grass jumper, complex high-altitude kerosene-burners, he can do it all...and way better than most! I’ve seen Kevin working at three in the morning and eleven at night even on a Sunday or a holiday. He loves airplanes! He loves to fly ‘em (very talented), he loves to fix ‘em (‘gifted’ would be an understatement), build ‘em, and modify ‘em. But the best part is: “When Kevin is done with an airplane at Oak Island Aviation, and his signature goes into your log books... You KNOW it can’t be done any better. Kevin is a straight shooter and he doesn’t mix words...it is what it is and he tells it like it is.
The Navion owners (a dedicated and loyal group of owners of these special old airplanes) held their annual get-together at KSUT this year in the hottest part of the summer. Kevin never faltered. Along with his own busy schedule he still took the time and specialized efforts to work on several (eight!) of these beautiful old birds in need of his talents. Every Navion owner to a man was notably impressed, and these folks are a very picky lot to say the least and very particular about their flying pride and joy Navions. It’s been my pleasure to have worked with Kevin and Oak Island Aviation both privately and commercially for over five years. I’m still waiting to hear the very first complaint or offer of dissatisfaction with his work from anyone!
I’m going to offer an educated guesstimate that I have had personal experience with roughly 85 different maintenance facilities and hundreds of maintenance personnel in my years in aviation. Its really great to find the “best one ever” right here where I am going to retire. I am one of the lucky ones to have Kevin’s personal attention applied to my personal aircraft, whether I get it back from an oil change or a complete annual. I fly with absolute confidence because Kevin Stephenson has been messin’ around under my cowling! If you’re ever in the area, maybe you, too, could be one of the lucky ones! “Yeah! We do that!”
Gregory “Coach” Vaughn ATP
President, Coastal Coaching Incorporated
Oak Island, NC 284654